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7) They don’t waste time comparing themselves to others

Extremely confident business people realize life is short. Their time is valuable. They don’t waste it trying to be something or someone they are not. Rather they invest their time in finding out and improving their strengths. Confident business people do not speak badly about themselves. For every bad thought they have about themselves, they train their minds to have 3 or more positive thoughts focused on their strengths to counter negative thoughts.

6) They are very comfortable saying “No”

Confident business people are humble but have a backbone and are not afraid to use it. They’ve learned that saying “Yes” to one thing also means saying “No” to something else. Hence, they are cautious with their commitments and learn how to comfortably and politely say “No” more than the average person. See “Top 7 ways to politely say “No” for more tips. They are not afraid to stand for something; even if it means standing alone. If they note an injustice occurring, they speak up even when everyone else is silent. They are willing to compromise on most things, but not on their values.

5) They listen more than they speak

They know they are not the smartest people in a room. They take advantage of opportunities to learn from those around them. They are humble and teachable. They are willing to learn from anyone around them, even their own front line employees who can give them insights into areas of weakness that can be targeted to improve the customers’ experience. They are active listeners and don’t just hear those around them but are active listeners. Many of their business ideas or improvements are a direct result of their active listening skills.

4) They don’t seek attention

Ever received a compliment and instead of just accepting it with a “Thank you”, you divert it with “Thank you but your work was so much better than mine.” A confident business person knows the value of his/her work and humbly accepts praise for a job well done without deferring the compliment. Confident business people are able to find that fine line between promoting their business and being boastful. Learning how to promote your business with confidence and grace without coming across as annoying and arrogant is key to business success. They accept praise for a job well done instead of diverting it.

3) They’re not afraid to be wrong

They are willingly to give praise and recognition to others instead of seeking attention for themselves. If junior members of their team make an error, the confident business person will take responsibility for the business and the team and seek ways to learn from and remedy the situation instead of throwing their team members under the bus. They experience fear like every other entrepreneur. But they take action in spite of their fear instead of allowing their fear to cripple them into procrastination. If they are wrong, they are open and willing to accept responsibility for their decision, learn from it and move on.

2) They take calculated risks

They understand that in order for their business to grow quickly, they have to make decisions without all the information they would like to have. They use their experience, any information they have and their gut feeling to take calculated risks instead of careless decisions. When they decide on something, they follow through without hesitation. They push themselves out of their comfort zone and are comfortable in the uncertainty of that space. If they have a setback as a result, they view it not as failure but as information they can use to make a better, more informed decision in the future.

1) They find happiness from within

They create and define their own happiness instead of allowing their surroundings, circumstances or people around them to define their happiness. Another name for this is resilience. When the world is falling apart all around them, they have an incredible ability to look around, smile and view all the mishaps as opportunities for growth instead of turmoil. They actively choose not to give anyone or any situation the power to define their happiness or joy.